Swarthout, William, Farm
Why it's listed
This farmstead lies on both sides of Bath Road in the town of Milo, Yates County, about two miles south of Penn Yan. The nominated parcel covers roughly 32.3 acres. The main building is a one-and-one-half story frame farmhouse built around 1850 on a rubble stone foundation. It has a gabled-ell plan, a lateral wing and a rear wing, six-over-six windows, boxed cornices with partial returns, and a porch on columns. Inside, the original room layout, plaster walls, wood moldings and paneled doors survive. Contributing outbuildings include a cow barn and a horse barn or shed, both ca. 1890, a privy, and a grape packing barn dating to about 1911 across the road. Two modern outbuildings do not contribute. The property was listed for architecture and agriculture. It is described as a largely intact mid-nineteenth century farmstead that shows how agriculture in the county grew and changed into the early twentieth century, and as a local landmark.
Significance in brief: The farm is presented as an outstanding regional example of a mid-nineteenth century farm complex that kept its original buildings and agricultural setting. The farmhouse is one of the best examples of a gabled-ell Greek Revival house in the county. The group of outbuildings shows how farming practices and building stock changed from the mid-nineteenth to the early twentieth century.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 94000956, listed August 24, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Bath Rd., Milo |
|---|---|
| County | Yates County |
| Listed | August 24, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000956 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca.1850 - ca. 1911 |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century/Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Historic and current functions are both listed as single dwelling and agricultural building. |
| Acreage | 32.3 |
| Coordinates | 42.63414, -77.05943 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 94000956.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8019002
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.